Playing free bingo games, which do not require you to stake any money, can seem like a low risk pursuit in the world of online gaming, and indeed, this is usually the case. Playing both free and real bingo games at reputable sites like costabingo.com ensures safe and fair play, as you can rely on the fact that all the usual precautions you would expect to be taken over the storage of your personal and banking details will be followed. However, there are literally thousands of gaming sites out there offering free Bingo games, and not all of them are properly regulated and run. Here are some of the things to keep in mind to ensure that you stay safe when gaming online.

Most sites offering bingo games will not ask for your card details at the point of setting up a membership, but you are usually asked to provide at least an e-mail address. This opens up the possibility that criminals could then target this e-mail address for an attempt at a ‘phishing’ scam.

‘Phishing’ involves an e-mail that asks for personal information, usually bank account or credit card details. The e-mail usually purports to be from a trusted source, like your own bank, and sometimes the message will direct you to a fake website, which will request that you enter sensitive information, like online banking log on and password details.

‘Phishing’ is a widespread problem that is not particularly linked to online gaming, but is an issue of which you must always be aware. Some of the following scams are more specific to the (small number) of dodgy gaming sites out there.

Some sites may offer a huge, free introductory bonus for signing up, and during the registration process ask for banking and card details to ‘set up’ a membership. You should always be wary of who you give this information – and this applies to every kind of website – but obscure, unregulated gaming sites offering ‘too good to be true’ bonuses are probably just that – something dodgy, to be avoided.

Downloading ‘gaming’ software from obscure sites can also be a way of picking up spyware and malware that criminals can use to try and access your accounts. Downloading ‘cheats’ that purport to help you beat a system – such as guaranteeing a certain number of jackpots in Bingo games – is a common way for criminals to get you to install malicious software on your computer.

The simple way to stay safe when looking for online bingo games, or indeed any form of internet gaming, is to stick to UK based sites, which are regulated by a recognized gambling authority. If you want to check this, simply find the name of the regulating authority listed on the site in question, and check them out online. If you have any doubt about a specific site – i.e. whether they are actually regulated by who they say they are – you can then contact the regulating authority.

When you are creating a new gaming account, make sure that you do not reveal any personal information (for example, through your user name), and maintain this principal if you wish to use a chat room facility. Enjoy the anonymity that comes with creating a new online persona!